Tough transition for Washingtonville mayor

Former mayor 'just cut out,' new mayor says

Washingtonville — It took new Mayor Dave Heintz and the new Village Board just 14 minutes Monday to call for a state audit, reinstate the Planning and Ethics boards and reduce the mayor's salary by the same amount former Mayor Kevin Hudson had raised it.

Washingtonville — It took new Mayor Dave Heintz and the new Village Board just 14 minutes Monday to call for a state audit, reinstate the Planning and Ethics boards and reduce the mayor's salary by the same amount former Mayor Kevin Hudson had raised it.

The same new mayor and members of the new board, however, have been working their way around Village Hall, trying to match up locks with the 30 sundry keys Hudson left when he walked out the door.

According to Heintz, Hudson did little to ensure a smooth transition.

That's left Heintz, who was sworn into office Monday night, a huge job organizing and restoring access to Village Hall.

In keeping with that goal, Heintz spent the first few days in office working on the following projects:

Walking around Village Hall with the assorted keys Hudson left to see which doors, file cabinets and drawers they open.

Labeling the keys for which matches were found.

Prying open the door to the second floor of Village Hall — Heintz has yet to find the keys that open the doors — to assess how much renovation work was done, whether it was done properly, and what needs to happen for construction to resume.

Searching for the remote control for security cameras Hudson installed, as well as the access codes for the security system and the mayor's computer.

Trying to figure out why Hudson apparently changed the phone number to the mayor's village cellphone, which had all contacts and other data deleted from it.

Heintz said the former mayor has responded to some calls by village staff seeking assistance in finding some things, but that his cooperation has been limited.

"Basically, he just cut out and said, 'It's yours, you do what you want to do,' " Heintz said.

Hudson could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Heintz and the new Village Board also must deal with numerous legal and administrative entanglements.

The Orange County District Attorney's Office, for instance, is investigating village governance during Hudson's two years in office for potential crimes or malfeasance.

Heintz has also vowed to get the state Comptroller's Office to perform a full audit of the village.

Another priority will be completing the renovations to the new Village Hall, purchased after Hudson had the former flood-damaged village hall on West Main Street demolished in 2011.

The $1.5 million bond for the new building includes $565,000 for renovations.

Of that amount, Hudson spent more than $100,000, Heintz said.

Heintz is getting an architect to inspect the second floor to ensure work has been done according to code and to estimate the remaining cost of the project, which Hudson, a builder, had been doing in-house without a detailed plan.

Heintz said the village has also been receiving phone calls from residents asking about the village farmers market, which was apparently managed by Hudson's deputy mayor, Scott Congiusti, who also lost his seat in the March 19 elections.

Heintz said he does not have any records indicating Congiusti's role in the market — or whether the village was involved in it at all.